USDA · USDA-032 · record R1336

Approximate String Matching (aka fuzzy matching) to Standardize Data

Department of Agriculture · Marketing and Regulatory Programs

Overview

Development stage: DeployedSource: c) Deployed – The use case is being actively authorized or utilized to support the functions or mission of an agency.
High-impact designation: Not high-impactSource: c) Not high-impact
Impact justification: Not reported
Start date: 2023-05-08 (day precision)Source: 5/8/2023
Withheld from public reporting: Not reported

Mission

Topic area: Service Delivery
Operational functions: No function tag matched Derived by keyword rules; see methodology

Problem the AI is intended to solve

Entities (producers, commodities, facilities, etc) use different names in our data systems, making accurate analysis by entity impossible without matching and resolving them.

Expected benefits

Benefits include reduced labor hours compared to manual data cleaning, makes near-real-time reporting possible, and increases data accuracy which enables program managers to conduct efficient policy enforcement and program monitoring.

System outputs

A model is used to match variations of names in Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) program data and apply standardized producer and commodity names. This results in clean, standardized data through an automated workflow.

Technology

AI classification: Natural language processingSource: Natural Language Processing: AI that processes, interprets, and shares information in human language.
System name(s): Not reported
Custom-developed code: No
Public source code: pypi.org ↗

Sourcing

How it was built: Developed in-houseSource: b) Developed in-house
Vendor (as reported): Not reported
Vendors (standardized): None on the standard list

A vendor is the supplier named by the agency. It does not identify the underlying model or AI technology.

Data and privacy

Involves PII: No
Privacy Impact Assessment: Not reported
Authorization to Operate: No
Demographic features: k) None of the above
Training and evaluation data: Entity names are stored within Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) data systems, which include commodity imports, inspections, pest interceptions, and Emergency Action Notifications.
Federal Data Catalog: Not reported

Governance

0 of 8 minimum-practice questions answered. A blank answer means the agency reported nothing; it does not mean the practice is absent.

Pre-deployment testingNo answer reported

AI impact assessmentNo answer reported

Independent reviewNo answer reported

Ongoing monitoringNo answer reported

Operator trainingNo answer reported

Fail-safeNo answer reported

Appeal processNo answer reported

User and public consultationNo answer reported

Potential impacts and how they were identified

Not reported